stefhenson



(No Model.)

J. STEPHENSON.

UAR BODY TRUSS.

Patented June 9, 1885.

NITH ,LSTATES JOHN STEPHENSON, or New YORK, J,

"CAR-BODY TRUSS.

SPECIFICATION formin art f Letters Patent No. 319,52

Application filed December 8, 1884. (No model.) k v I To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN STEPHENSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improved Truss for Tram-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is one of a class for support ing the body of a tram-car in its constructed shape, and is especially applicable to those known as summer-cars. I make a truss independent of the car-body and place it under the car-sills. The upper chord of the truss conforms in line to the under side of the car-sill to which it becomes attached, and the under chord unites with the upper chord at their ends, from whence it defleets until the pedestals are reached, and thence between the pedestals the chords are parallel. The pedestals act as queen-posts between the chords.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of part of a tram-car, in part section, illustrating my improvement. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a pedestal, in part section, showing the attachments. Fig. 3 is an inverted view of the pedestal.

The following elements on both sides of the car constitute the complete truss: Upper chord, two central eye-rods; four pedestal bedplates; four end eye-rods; four strut-thimbles with fastening-bolts. Lower chord, two central stay-bars; four pedestal bottoms; four base'bars; four strut-braces, which abut on the union-bars of the pedestal-bottoms; four strutthimbles with fastenings, which also form parts of the upper chord.

The upper chord of the truss is constructed by placing beneath the sills A four pedestals, l3, separated at proper distances for the wheelbase of the car. The inner ends of the pedestal bed-plates are coupled by central eye-rods, L, with their ends secured preferably to the pedestal fastening-bolts t. Similar bolts,t, at the farther end of the pedestal bed-plates receive the ends of four eye-rods, L, whose farther ends are lodged on the fasteningbolts t in the nearer ends of the strut-thimbles D.

The lower chord: From each strut-thimble D descends a strut-brace, E, with its foot beveled to fit the face of the pedestal union-barn, connecting the front and rear parts of the pedestal, and the two pedestals at one side of the For this purpose beveled to fit the innerunion-bars, the ends of the strut-braces and stay-bars being secured 'to the union-bars by angle-bolts a, as shown.

Crossing the jaws of each pedestal is a base bar, H, with each of its upper faces bearing against the lower faces of the unioirbars of the pedestal, and its ends abutting against the ends of the strut-brace and stay-bar, and secured to the union-bars by bolts 20. The parts thus described when united form the under chord of the truss.

The upper and lower chords unite at their ends with the strut-thimbles D, and are separated toward their middles by the pedestals, acting as queen posts, supporting the two chords, and giving to the truss its proper form and consistency.

The pedestals are made of such form and strength that for ordinary service they are capable of sustaining the sections of the lower chord of the truss without the brace-bars H, which are introduced for possible requirements, and are capable of removal without disorganizing the truss.

The base-bar answers the double purpose of akey to the arch of the lower chord of the truss, and also the bridle or retainer keeping the axle-box within the pedestal-jaws. The connection of the strut-thimbles by eye-rods and bed-plates prevents the strut-braces from thrusting outward the thimbles and letting down the truss.

The eye-rods connecting the pedestal bedplates and those connecting the pedestals with the thimbles are shown as placed on the usual fastening-bolts of those parts, thereby simplifying construction. They may, however, be connected in any suitable manner.

I do not here claim, broadly, a truss combined with the sill of a car, as this is the subject of an application filed by me July 16, 1884, Serial No. 137,903.

I claim- 1. A tram-car with body supporting truss, having its upper chord at either side of the car,

'car are coupled by a stay bar, F, with its ends I consisting of the following elements in combiv nation, viz: one central eye-rod, two pedestal bed plates, two end eyerods, two strut- IOO thimbles, and fastening-bolts, substantially as having its lower chord at eachside of the car, consisting of the fQ1l0wing'e1e nentsin combination, viz: one center stay-bar, two pedestals, two pedestal base-bars, without fastening connection with either stay-bar or strut-brace, two strut-braces, two strut-thiinbles, and fastening-bolts, substantially as described.

3. -A tram-car with the body supported by a truss made of the following elements, viz: two central eye-rods uniting four pedestals with four end eye-rods connecting with four strutthimbles holding the upper ends of four struts, with their feet fastened to four pedes tals, united in couples by two stay-bars fast to the union-bars of pedestals, and carrying four :base-bars crossing the pedestals jaws, and

fastening-bolts, substantially as described.

.4. A tram-car with supporting-trussunden ,each'sill, the pedestals forming queen-postsof disorganizing'the truss, substantially as dethe truss,.and" the bed-plates of the pedestals 2o .constituting sections of the upper chord of the truss, substantially as described.

5. A tram-car with truss under its sills, a section of each lower chord crossing the open jaws of a pedestal, and removable without scribed.

6. A tram-car-body truss with the upper chord connecting the pedestals and strut-(himblcs by eye-rods secured on the fastening-bolts 0 of pedestals and thinibles.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

"JOHN STEPHENSON. Witnesses: STUART A. STEPHENSON,

J OSEPH B. STEPHENSON. 

